BRADENTON, Fla. — The Phillies won’t come and say it officially. They don’t have to yet. But you can bet your lunch money that sometime in the coming days the club will announce that Domonic Brown will open the season on the disabled list.
“It’s likely that he will,” general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Monday. “We haven’t made a final decision yet.”
Brown has been out of the lineup 11 straight games since feeling soreness in his left Achilles tendon. He’s much improved, but won’t have the at-bats or playing time to be ready for next Monday’s season opener.
Brown would have been the Phillies’ starting rightfielder. Now, the opening day assignment in right could go to Jordan Danks, Brian Bogusevic, Jeff Francoeur or Russ Canzler. Among that group, only Danks is on the 40-man roster, but he does have a minor-league option remaining.
Darin Ruf is not a candidate for the rightfield job. Team officials closed that door after he played 29 games there in 2013. If Ruf sees outfield time, it will be in left field.
“I think he’s still battling for a job right now,” Amaro said of Ruf. “I see him as a right-handed bat off the bench, play some first base, maybe a little outfield. It’s up to Ryno (Sandberg) and his performance. First base is (Ruf’s) best position. He’ll get time there. Guys like Ryan (Howard) and Chase (Utley), we’re going to have to give them time off.”
Danks is considered the Phillies’ best defensive outfielder. The best guess is he will be the opening day rightfielder. Sandberg has essentially said Odubel Herrera and Ben Revere will start in center and left, respectively.
MLB
Brown’s trip to the DL does not have to be long. The assignment could be backdated nine days before the opener, making him eligible to return during the second week of the season. The assignment could last longer, however, if club officials insist Brown get some extra at-bats on a rehab assignment in the minors. Keep in mind that Brown still has a minor-league option remaining, so he’s not a shoo-in to be the regular rightfielder when he’s healthy, though his $2.5 million salary will ensure he will at least get the chance to take hold of the job.
Who’s the fifth starter?
Sean O’Sullivan, who made two starts for the Phillies last season, will come over from minor-league camp and start against Toronto on Tuesday in Dunedin.
O’Sullivan is a candidate to pitch for the Phillies on April 12, when the team first needs a fifth starter. Kevin Slowey and Jeanmar Gomez are also candidates.
Are there other candidates?
“We’re keeping our eyes and ears open, outside and inside the organization,” Amaro said. “Somebody’s going to have to pitch in that spot. We’ll have to figure out who it will be. We’re scanning the waiver wire and other possibilities, possible trades for that fifth spot. It’s likely to be internal, but that could change. A lot could change in the last 72 hours.”
The Phillies have also been scouting other clubs for a potential backup catcher, but Amaro indicated that a trade was looking unlikely.
“There’s really not many catchers out there,” he said. “It will probably be internal.”
Cameron Rupp and Rene Garcia are the two backup catchers still in camp. Rupp appears to have the lead in the competition. He is on the 40-man roster.